Assess the situation
Fill in what you know. Estimates are fine, exact numbers are better. Keep the packaging nearby for your call.
Emergency vet or poison control: which do I call?
With lilies, time is everything. Cats treated before kidney damage sets in usually do well; cats whose treatment is delayed beyond about 18 hours often develop irreversible kidney failure.
Go straight to an emergency vet if…
- Your cat chewed, ate, or licked any part of a true lily or daylily, or drank vase water
- You do not know what type of lily it was
- Your cat is vomiting, drooling, hiding, or not eating after being near lilies
- Poison control or your vet has told you to come in
Call poison control first if…
- You need help identifying the lily (take a photo or bring the plant)
- The plant was a peace or calla lily and your cat seems normal
- You want a case number to hand to the emergency vet
- You can call while you are on the way to the vet
How lily poisoning develops in cats
The toxin in true lilies and daylilies has not been identified, but it damages the cells of the kidney. It affects cats; dogs that eat lilies usually get only a mild stomach upset.
Early signs
- Vomiting, drooling
- Low energy, hiding
- Loss of appetite
Kidney damage begins
- Increased urination and thirst
- Dehydration
- Signs may seem to improve, which is misleading
Kidney failure
- Little or no urine
- Weakness, collapse
- Death without treatment
Published case data behind these estimates
These lists come from the U.S. FDA and ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. Bring the plant or a photo to your vet to confirm the type.
| Lily | Risk to cats |
|---|---|
| Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum) | Kidney failure: Emergency |
| Tiger lily (L. tigrinum / lancifolium) | Kidney failure: Emergency |
| Asiatic lily and hybrids (L. asiaticum) | Kidney failure: Emergency |
| Stargazer and Oriental lilies | Kidney failure: Emergency |
| Rubrum / Japanese Show lily (L. speciosum) | Kidney failure: Emergency |
| Wood lily (L. philadelphicum / umbellatum) | Kidney failure: Emergency |
| Daylily (Hemerocallis spp.) | Kidney failure: Emergency |
| Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) | Heart rhythm problems: Emergency |
| Peace lily (Spathiphyllum), calla lily (Zantedeschia) | Mouth and throat irritation, not kidney failure: contact a professional |
| Peruvian lily (Alstroemeria) | Generally mild stomach upset: contact a professional |
This checker does not use a dose. Any exposure to a true lily, daylily, lily of the valley, or an unidentified lily is treated as an Emergency.